


Meeting of a Lifetime

by crzykittyfangirl, Stormchaser (crzykittyfangirl)



Category: Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Genre: Dancing, F/M, Fluff, Romance, Season 7 episode 10, Story Continuation, are you afraid of the dark, the last dance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2020-06-28 06:54:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19807012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crzykittyfangirl/pseuds/crzykittyfangirl, https://archiveofourown.org/users/crzykittyfangirl/pseuds/Stormchaser
Summary: Tara only met him briefly, the man who lived in the underground of the Warren Rec center but she likes him already more than she should and wants more than anything to find him again.





	1. Dancing

Whirling around the floor in a place under the center with this man she had just met that night, felt more right than anything else ever had, even playing. Though she didn’t even know his name, but she supposed she could always ask.

“Hey what’s your name? I mean you know my name so it's only fair that I know yours too.”

He smiles, ducking his head a bit before looking up at her and speaking, a slight smile still on his face. “You’re the first person to ever ask my name and I can’t help but be happy that it's you. My name is Erik Marceaux.”

“Have other people come down here before?”

“There has been some who have stumbled across my domain over the years but you’re the only one who has willingly come down here.”

“Why did no one else stay?”

He shrugs and looks down. “Because I’m hideous.”

Tara gives a sad smile and shakes her head. “I don’t know what people could have told you or what kind of misconceptions they could have had but I assure you, you’re far from hideous. You’re actually quite handsome.”

A smile breaks out on his face and he ducks his head as his blue eyes well up with tears. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me, but that can’t possibly be true.”

“Hey, look at me.” Tara says softly. He slowly raised tear filled blue eyes to meet her gray. “You are so handsome and fantastically kind. You care about and appreciate my music more than Michael ever has, you’re an amazing artist and a wonderful dancer.”

“Thank you truly, you are so very kind just as I always knew you would be.”

“You’re too kind. I have my faults just like everyone else.”

“No, you’re wonderful. Stubborn to a fault, loyal and sweet, a wicked sense of humour, brave, sarcastic, smart, beautiful, tolerant of so much and the most amazing violin player.”

“Thank you Erik. I wish could have met you sooner.”

“Oh, you have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that….”


	2. The Rec Center Falls and Library Searching

Tara, Scot and Jane stand with everyone else to watch the Center get demolished. She sighs, her mind drifting to Erik wondering if he got out ok. 

“So, did you really break up with Michael?” Jane asks.

“Hmm? Oh yes, I did.” Tara says

“I just never actually thought you would do it.” Scot comments

“Yeah, well I’d been thinking about it for awhile and then I met someone who made me realize just how badly Michael was treating me.”

“Oooh, really? Who is it? Do we know them?”

“No, I really don’t think you know him. He uh...doesn’t get out much…” Tara trails off, looking back at what once was the Rec Center.

“So how did you meet him then?” Jane asks quizzically.

“Well you know when I disappeared at The Last Dance? I uh...met him then.”

“You mean when you went to look for your violin?”

“Er yeah. He helped me find it.”

“So, when do we get to meet this mysterious man of yours?” Scot asks, draping an arm around her shoulders. 

“I don’t know. I’m not even sure if I’ll ever see him again.”

“I’m sure you will.” Scot says. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erik looks around his new home located under the library. It wasn’t as big as his previous home but it suited his needs. Suddenly his eyes widened. One of his drawings was missing, one of his favourites of Tara. Where could it be?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few weeks later, Tara walked into the library after school to both return a book and check out some more for a project. She hadn’t given up hoping that she would see Erik again but she really didn’t have any idea where to look for him. And, it wasn’t like she could ask anyone about him. There were the city records but she didn’t think there was any way she could look at them. They didn’t just let the public access them. 

She sighs, hoping he’s alright and that he didn’t think she had just forgotten about him. “Best just to focus on finding the books I need for now.   
She is browsing the shelves when a book catches her eye. Its title reads: “The Warrenville Phantom.” Huh...I didn’t know Warrenville had a phantom. She picks it up and begins reading. She skims the book, her eyes widening when she realizes it's about Erik. “Why would-Erik’s so sweet and he’s no phantom. He’s alive. When was this book written?” She mutters and turns to the copyright page. Huh, 1984. I was only eight when this book came out. Erik can’t be that much older than me, so he was probably around ten or eleven? Poor Erik ...Has he really been alone for that long?” Tara shakes her head, a frown on her face. After a moment she sighs and closes the book, putting it back on the shelf. “I don’t think I’ll find anything actually useful about Erik. I might as well just check the books I need for school and be done.” She mumbles and begins carrying her armful of books to the front desk.


	3. A Clue and the Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tara finds a drawing that Erik drew and hopes it means she'll see him again soon

It was a few weeks later when she was on her way to the library that she spotted something that made her hope she might see Erik again soon. She had been walking toward the library when something caught her eye. It was an expertly drawn charcoal picture of her playing her violin. 

“This has to be Erik’s. Maybe he’s living nearby?” She mutters looking at the drawing. “Though I wonder how it got here, since I’m sure he must have traveled underground. Maybe it got blown up here somehow.” 

She sighs, putting the drawing in her bag and continuing toward the library. Just then, her cell phone rings. 

She pulls it out and sees it's Scot. “Hey Scot. What’s up?”

“Hey Tara. Jane, Alec and I wanted to know if you were up for going bowling tonight?”

“Oh that sounds fun! But I can’t. I’ve got work. I’m headed there right now.”

“Aw man, I forgot you worked Friday nights. Alright, see ya Tara! Good luck at work.”

“Thanks Scot. Tell Jane and Alec hello from me and I hope to see you all soon!”

“Will do! Bye.”

“Bye.”

She hung as she climbed the steps to the library and pushed the door open. 

“Hello Tara dear. How was your day today? Has that boy Michael still been bothering you?”

“No, not today. Maybe he’s finally stopped.”

“I’m glad. How are your friends Jane and Scot?”

“They’re good, they were going Bowling tonight along with Scot’s good friend Alec.”

“Oh that’s nice. I’m going to have to leave early tonight so would you mind closing?”

“Of course not Ms. Lila.”

“Thanks dear. If you could get started by putting these books away?” Ms. Lila says pushing a cart of books toward her. 

“Sure.” Tara says setting her bag down next to the desk, then taking the cart from her and wheeling it toward the shelves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tara sighs, sitting behind the desk and looking out at the nearly empty library. 

There were only a few people here, and there was nothing to do. She pulled out a book from her bag. She was reading the Prisoner of Azkaban as the next book came out in a couple months. She wanted to refresh her memory on everything that had happened. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
“Alright, I’ll be leaving now. Stay as late as you want dear. Just be sure to lock up when you leave.”

“Okay, I will Ms. Lila. See ya!”

“Have a good night Tara.” She says then hurries out the door. 

Tara sighs, there are two people left and they are packing up to leave as she watches.

One of them comes over to the desk. “Hello, how may I help you?”

“I’d like to check this book out please.”

“Alright.” Tara says taking the book and scanning it. It’ll be due back June 11.”

“Thanks.” They said then hurried away.


	4. Alone in the Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tara is working late in the Library when she hears something or someone moving around.

Tara is sitting at the desk reading when she hears rustling and the sound of books being moved around. “Huh?” Tara mutters looking up. “I’m the only one here, what’s going on?”

She stands then sets her book down, and goes toward the back of the library. When she gets there, she sees a brown leather bound book on the ground and the end of a black cloak disappearing behind a wall panel. 

She picks up the book, then her eyes widen. She looks down at the book in her hands then at the wall panel closing. “Erik!” She exclaims quietly then races toward the wall, pushing it back open and going through. 

She hurries down the steps, spotting him way ahead of her going down the stairs, his hood has fallen down and she can see his long hair flying behind him. 

“Erik! Erik! Wait!” Tara calls.

She sees him stop suddenly and stumble slightly before whipping around. His eyes widen when he sees her rushing toward him. 

“Tara!” He exclaims. “What are you-I thought….” 

She stops in front of him. “Erik, I’m so glad to see you! I’ve been hoping I’d find you again but I had no idea where to even begin to look!”

“You-You were looking for me? You-You remember me?”

“Of course I was, and yeah you’re kind of hard to forget.”

“It's because I’m hideous right?” He says ducking his head a bit, locks of hair falling in his face. “How would you forget a monster like me?”

“That’s not what I meant! I was worried about you after the Rec Center got torn down and I wanted to see you again!”

He looks up in surprise. “Oh-I ah…” He trails off, his cheeks flushing slightly. 

“Oh, right! Is this yours? I found it on the ground.” She says holding out the book. 

“Oh, yes thank you! I must have dropped it.”

“Ah ok, here you go.” Tara says.

“Thank you.” He says taking the book from her. 

“You’re welcome.”

“Ah, would you like to see my new home?”

“Alright.” 

“Follow me.” He says holding out his hand. “It gets pretty dark going forward.

“Okay.” Tara says, taking his hand.


End file.
